Home brewing in Connecticut Discussions - CT Beer Trail

Friday, November 27, 2009

I'm up in Maine for the long Thanksgiving weekend, visiting with the in-laws. There's not much to do or see in this area of Maine, at least not much that doesn't involve a quad, hunting rifle or a pair of hiking boots... But there's beer lovers everywhere, right? Surely there's some quality craft beer to be found...

Well, turns out Maine has a fair amount of craft beer, and a weekend brewery tour maybe just what the , but sadly I'm pretty far from most of what Maine has to offer... In fact, I'm pretty far from everything and everywhere. (We plan to drive an hour tonight, just to get some sea food, an hour for chow, imagine that...)

Since 1986, Maine has been at the forefront of the craft brew movement. Our state is home to over 20 breweries which produce more than 100 different brands. Wherever you travel in Maine, you'll find locally made ales and lagers that are fresh, unique and sure to please. Cheers!

Included in their list is Oak Pond Brewery, a mere 30 minutes from our Fortress of Solitude... I'm going to try and make a run out there today or tomorrow and will be sure to post a blog update on what I find. (Last year I tried to find the place, but my GPS was not on my side... I'll see if I have more luck this weekend...)

No comments:

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment. I'd love to hear how you found my blog, if you're a first time poster, please let me know how you found my little corner of the web. I try to respond to all comments, so please check back for a response.

Following the CT Beer Trail

Twitter Road Trip

Welcome to HomeBrewBeer.Net

For years I thought about making my own home brewed beer, but thought it would be too difficult. Now I'm finally giving it a go! I will be documenting my experiences here in the hopes of enabling others to learn from my mistakes and hopefully have some fun in the process.

In addition to discussing my attempts at home brewing, I'll also occasionally write about other related topics. Anything from home brew kits, beer reviews & brewery tours, to religion, healthy diets and responsible drinking will be fair game. In the mean time, I invite you to join me as I embark on a brave new journey into home brewing! Cheers!

Soap Box: Beer should be enjoyed responsibly! Drink quality beer and drink it in moderation! Nobody likes a drunkard!

Enjoying quality beer is about taking the time to savor its taste, color, smell, texture and over all quality. Over indulging impairs your ability to do so, and should be avoided.

Learn How to Brew Beer Today!

Homebrewing for Dummies is a clear, concise, how-to guide for the do-it-yourselfer. As it turns out, making beer isn't hard to do if you have a stove, some basic equipment, a little time on your hands, and a wife that wont divorce you if the kitchen smells like a brewery.

Feel like diving into home brewing head first? You should, but don't go it alone. This book will get you on the right path towards making your own Hefeweizen or India Pale Ale with ease. You'll get the recipes and solid step-by-step instructions. This book covers just about everything, but you're on your own when it comes to your wife.

The Basics of Home Brewing

Considering making your own beer? Wondering what it involves? Here's the skinny... The entire process will take about four weeks or so. Once completed, you'll be able to enjoy and proudly share your beer with friends and family. Now, what could be more rewording than that? Here's a high level view of the entire process:

Brewing

Get the equipment and buy ingredients. Your best bet is to grab a starter kit online or from your local beer making supply shop. (30 minutes or so, not including shipping times)

Clean and sanitize the equipment (15 minutes or so, but do a good job, this is very important!)

Brew the beer and start the fermentation (60-90 minutes the first time, my first batch was closer to 90 minutes, that wort takes a long time to boil!)

Fementation

Waiting, waiting and more waiting. Look at the pretty bubbles! (typically about a week)

Bottle Your Beer

Takes about an hour once fermentation is complete. (don't bottle too early, they could expload!)

Bottle Conditioning

Waiting, waiting and more waiting. Look at the pretty bottles! (usually two to four weeks)